The differential scanning calorimeter (“DSC”) is an apparatus which, when a sample and a reference substance are placed therein, and the temperatures of both are varied at a constant rate, detects and analyzes differentially a heat flow generated or absorbed by the sample as compared with the reference substance.
As the sample material goes through various physical changes, such as fusing, crystallization, freezing, oxidation, and the like, its temperature is affected by the changes in internal energy. The differences in temperature between the sample and the reference are recorded and, from this data, calculations may be made for determining the internal energy changes occurring in the sample. Such information is useful in evaluating materials such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, films and the like.
One type of DSC is power compensation DSC. It is generally structured by a combination of two independent calorimeters for a sample and a reference, and both are provided with a resistance temperature sensor and heat flow feedback heater. The average value of temperatures detected by both temperature sensors is compared with a temperature output of a temperature programmer which varies at a constant rate. Two calorimeters are heated up such that both are brought into coincidence by the heat flow feedback heaters. Also, if a difference is caused in temperature output of the both temperature sensors, both heaters are immediately increased or decreased in power to return the difference to zero. Thereupon, the difference of power supplied to the both heaters is continuously recorded as a differential heat flow signal.
Various power compensated differential scanning calorimeters are known in the art such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,686 (herein incorporated by reference) relating to a DSC having low drift and certain response characteristics. The sample temperature is controlled according to a program temperature by a furnace temperature controller, and at the same time controlled by a detector temperature controller. Also, if a temperature difference occurs, the supply powers to heaters separately provided close to the sample and reference are adjusted such that the temperature difference is returned to zero by a differential heat compensating circuit, outputting a difference in supply power as a differential heat flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,484 (herein incorporated by reference) relates to a method of performing an analysis by changing the temperature of a sample material in accordance with a desired program by varying the temperature of an external medium in heat exchanging relationship with the sample. The difference in temperature between the sample and program is measured and the applied heat is varied to maintain zero temperature difference there between. The power required to maintain the zero temperature differences is then measured.
The power compensation type differential scanning calorimeter is responsive and can quickly realize a heat compensation time constant. However, as for the baseline performance, there has been a difficulty in obtaining stability. The main reason of this lies in that the power compensation type sensor has a large temperature difference from surrounding members during measurement with a result that a comparatively large amount of heat leak occurs from the sensor to the outside, causing a drift factor in the baseline. Moreover, there is operating difficulty and lag time between cycles due to frost formation on the cells during cool down.